A Week in Izmir (Part 2 of 2)

Wednesday: After enjoying breakfast as a family, Daniel went back to work while Anu and the boys walked past the Konak Pier down to the clock tower of the same name which dates back to the Ottoman empire.  

 From there, they entered the Kemeralti Bazaar, Izmir's version of a Turkish bazaar (not all that exciting, as it sells everyday items). However, there were juice stands on almost every corner. For one TL or even less, you could have a freshly squeezed juice of your choice!  

Then, Anu found the entrance to the Kizlaragasi Han, a covered bazaar that is a calmer version of Istanbul's famous covered bazaar.  With the pulsing of beat of the coffee shops (grinding coffee beans?) and all the vendors selling jewelry, copper, hand-painted pottery, fabric, purses and clothes, it was exhilarating!

Daniel finished work after lunch and we had a low-key evening, eating dinner at the hotel's Aquarium restaurant and swimming in the indoor pool.

Thursday:  Ephesus! There is so much to share just from this one day-trip that we're going to have to save it for a different post. However, once back in Izmir that evening, we decided to take a ferry cruise across Izmir Bay to Karşıyaka, only 20 km to the north. Unfortunately, the bay is one of the most polluted coastal areas in Turkey -- even after concerted efforts to clean it up -- but at least the sunset was beautiful! 

Cumhuriyet Myd., between the Swissotel and the water

Let's play Copy Daddy, a new game!

Copy Daddy, part 2

Bundled up and ready to go

After such a long day, we did have a meltdown from E, but overall we were very impressed with how well the boys did. They were such good sports on this trip with long hours in the stroller and constantly being on the go.

Friday: Our flight wasn't until late that evening, so we headed back to the Kemeralti Bazaar for more fresh juice and to pick up some souvenirs. We were astounded by the number of formal dress shops we found. We even found this store for children, although we couldn't figure out what special occasion these outfits could possibly be for! 

Finally!  A clothing line for the little princes of the world!

We checked out Lover's Lane, a small outdoor shopping area near the hotel. They had an outdoor bookstore unlike anything we had ever seen before. If the books weren't all in Turkish, it would have been very tempting! 

We finished off our week in Izmir with a walk through the Kulturpark, where Elijah played and made a friend, little Define (1-1/2 years old). We certainly fell in love with Izmir (not to mention the Swissotel) and hope we have a chance to return again!